Dear Councillor/ Candidate in the local elections

I support NaCSILS, ( www.nacsils.co.uk ) a broad based non-party political campaign pressing for a free, universal,
not for profit, social care, support and independent living service radically redesigned with those who use services,
care and support workers, family/unpaid carers and local communities.

Older and disabled people, who bore the brunt of the pandemic, are being particularly hard hit by current dramatic
rises in the cost of living. Disabled people also have to contend with the removal of severe disability premiums,
which are no longer available under Universal Credit. Households with at least one disabled person are losing £1 in
every £3 of their income. To make matters worse councils are clawing back every penny they can from people’s
disability benefits in charges.

The net effect is a drastic increase in already unacceptable levels of poverty and exclusion. Many disabled and older
people are turning off vitally needed heating, giving up services they need and becoming increasingly isolated as
their basic rights to participate in social and community life become” luxuries” they can’t afford. Others are stuck in
hospital or moved into care homes as there are no services available to enable them to be discharged safely home.
Worse still some are being discharged before any assessment of their support needs to clear hospital beds.

Care services are being hollowed out as underpaid and undervalued, skilled, care and support workers leave to take
jobs in call centres and retail just to get a living wage. These services are highly unstable as they are almost all wholly
privatised. Owners can and are shutting down services when they fail to get the profits they seek. Not surprisingly
the number of family and friends who are having to step into the breech is climbing rapidly to 8 million including
800,000 children.

THIS IS NOT RIGHT, NOT SAFE, NOT FAIR!

Although the Government has the main responsibility for the disgraceful state of social care and support,
Local Councils CAN make a difference.

We/I am asking you to pledge to:

1. Resist any rise in Council Social Care charges and pursue raising the the local minimum income guarantee
for service users in the 2023 budget
2. Pursue an immediate end to debt recovery actions against older and disabled people who are unable to
pay charging debts
3. Ensure the Council pays care and support workers the real living wage, nights included, and only contracts
with providers who do likewise. (see Salford City Council). Support national calls for £15 per hour.
4. Provide better financial and wellbeing support, including respite services, to family/ unpaid carers
5. Commit to democratically designing and delivering ‘not for profit’ services in equal partnership with
disabled people’s organisations
6. Take steps to scrap charges – like Hammersmith and Fulham LBC

I look forward to hearing your response. I also urge you to get in touch with NaCSILS to discuss working together to
achieve universal, free and fair access to the support people want and need at all stages of life via
nacsilservice@gmail.com @nacsils www.nacsils.co.uk

Yours sincerely,

……………………..